(4) Sarah Jane Adventures - Cold Blood: Yellow Brick Road
by lhigginns67
Summary: The search for Rani begins. Will Harrison and Colin finally get their comeuppance?
1. Chapter 1

'Gita and Haresh, they'll be worried sick.'

Sarah Jane and Luke sat opposite each other in the living room, the TV switched off. Sarah Jane couldn't bear to listen to a further word of that news report. It was all her fault. Dare she feel happy about being reunited with her son, while Rani was God knows where?

'We could go over and see them,' said Luke. 'Show our support.'

That's all they could do for Rani's parents. Any kind of explanation about their alien encounters would be out of the question. Gita and Haresh, they had a wonderful daughter, who'd make a great journalist some day. They'd always been so trusting of Sarah Jane, which now risked going to pot.

Sarah Jane nodded. It was he least they could do.

'It's every parent's worst nightmare,' Sarah Jane said, as they crossed the road over to the Chandra's house. 'Their worst fear.'

They approached the door, and Sarah Jane rang the doorbell.

A minute passed.

No answer.

She proceeded to knock the door, when it creaked open. What the...

Sarah Jane pushed the door, and they both looked.

'Gita! Haresh!' she called. 'Door's open!'

They exchanged a glance, then entered. As they started down the hallway, a faint noise could be heard. Voices? From the living room?

'Gita? Haresh?'

The voices grew louder, as they approached the living room. Sarah Jane gradually pushed open the door.

Oh, God.

'..._each brand new bright tomorrow...'_

Gita stood in the middle of the room, arms by her side, as though in a trance.

'Rani's fine. Everything's fine.'

The tone was empty, completely monotone. 'Rani's fine. Everything's fine...'

A horizontal scar was visible along the left side of her forehead.

'_...bring me love, sweet love.._.'

Haresh lay, eyes shut, and one arm the wrong way, while blood saturated his t-shirt.

'Rani's fine. Everything's fine.'

Sarah Jane looked by the TV, to see a CD player blaring out the music.

Oh God, no. Those...Those...

Oh, Rani.

Tears threatened to take hold.

'Mum,' Luke said, holding a piece of paper.

She turned and took the paper.

'Follow the yellow brick road. Love, your new found friends.'

Harrison and Colin. Who else?

'Perhaps Mr Smith can help us,' sarah Jane said, as they exited the Chandra's.

If Harrison and Colin had taken out her parents, there was no way Rani wasn't harmed.

As Sarah Jane and Luke returned to number 13, they noticed a trail of yellow chrysanthemums leading to the front door.

'I'm not liking this one bit,' Sarah Jane said as they entered.

They followed the trail until they reached the attic, occasionally exchanging glances. What awaited them on the other side?

Nothing looked out of place. It was all just too easy, Sarah Jane thought.

'Mr Smith,' she called. 'I need you.'

The computer roared into life along with all of the usual steam and fanfare.

'Can you-'

'Mum,' Luke said, passing another note to Sarah Jane.

'Weymouth Street.

Number: The year you first met the Doctor.'

Sarah Jane turned to Mr Smith.

'Can you-'

'Cannot...cannot compute...'

'Mr Smith?'

The screen turned black.

Sarah Jane knew it. Knew it seemed too easy. She sighed.

'What now?' Luke asked.

She glanced at the second note.

'It's about a 20 minute drive away.'

'Perhaps that's where Rani is.'

Sarah Jane scoffed internally.

'Or that's what they want us to believe. But perhaps so.'

Perhaps, indeed. Harrison and Colin had been right about Luke - ultimately - but what if this...

Sarah Jane shuddered. What if this was just the second in a series of clues? To which the outcome was...oh, it didn't bearing thinking about.

'Let's just see, shall we?'


	2. Chapter 2

73, not 1973, it must be, then.'

Sarah Jane and Luke walked along the the large building of flats. Of course, why would Harrison and Colin specify such a detail?

'What if Rani really is here, though, Mum?'

'Don't think we should get our hopes up. This is almost like the Pharos Institute all over again for me.'

At last, they reached the floor labelled '70 - 79'.

'Okay,' Sarah Jane said. '72...ah, 73.'

She tried the handle. Unlocked. No surprise there. They entered, Luke closing the door behind then. Just whose flat was it? The entire layout was neat and tidy - almost clinical, like no one lived here.

Oh.

'What's that...urgh,' Sarah Jane said, holding her nose.

Luke crinkled his. Sarah Jane hoped the stench wasn't what she thought it was. No...why would it be? Would just be too easy.

'Think it's coming from over there,' Luke said, motioning to the door facing them in the right. Gradually, they approached it, and pushed open the door.

The stench, it...oh. Sarah Jane grimaced as the two of them approached the bathtub before them. She never once removed her hand from her nose, looking at the rotting flesh and bones. It couldn't have been...no. That just would've been too easy.

Must've been Colin's flat, then.

'Come back to bump off yet another unsuspecting soul for Harrison, then?'

Sarah Jane and Luke turned.

A tall man with slicked back hair stood before them, brandishing a shotgun at Sarah Jane's face, and both raised their hands. Livid was not the word.

'What - no - we've only just found that,' Sarah Jane said, voice trembling. 'We-'

'SHUT UP!'

All the weapons she'd been threatened with during her time with the Doctor had made her unfazed to things like this...or so she thought.

'Wormwood suffered,' he said. 'Now it's your turn.'

'Granville?'

'Gave you a little profile on me, too, did she? Just like for the ones she said were trying to kill Wormwood!'

'I didn't know about any of it before Harrison and Colin told me,' Sarah Jane said adamantly. 'She didn't deserve of that, Granville.'

'You're lying.'

'They kidnapped my son, Luke,' Sarah Jane said, motioning to him. 'Made me think he might've been dead.'

Granville's stony expression didn't budge.

'My friend, Rani, they've done the same with her - look...

She motioned to Luke, who showed Granville the notes from earlier.

He read them, maintaining his hard stare.

'I think they've set the three of us up,' Sarah Jane said. 'We're just pawns in their sick little game.'

Silence.

Granville looked between them for a minute, eventually low-

SMASH!

Sarah Jane and Luke both flinched, as bit by bit, the gun shattered into many pieces against the wall. They gradually lowered their hands, Sarah Jane feeling herself shaking.

'How many more _lies_, must I be told? How many?'

Sarah Jane looked at him, uncertain of whether to speak.

'It's the truth, Granville.'

She caught the simmering rage in his gaze.

'And I should believe a tart?' he scoffed. 'I should _fear_ a bloody tart?'

'You need to believe my Mum, Granville,' said Luke. 'Please.'

For a long minute, Granville looked between them both.

'Those devices on the sink not yours, then?'

Sarah Jane and Luke turned.

Two rectangular devices attached to the taps sprang up, and before any of them could react, gas began seeping out.

'Out!'

The three of them hurried for the door, and scrambled out, shutting the door behind them. All too easy, indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

The three of them stumbled out of the building onto the street. What else did Harrison and Colin have up their sleeves? Another note? More bodies, or booby traps?

'You two. Come with me.'

Sarah Jane and Luke exchanged looks.

Granville rolled his eyes, pushing Sarah Jane forward. Luke followed, as the three started down the road.

They continued until they reached a hidden alleyway.

What was Granville-

'Now,' Granville sniped, stretching out his arm to reveal a teleport bracelet. 'Hands on.'

Luke and Sarah Jane glanced at each other, and complied. As Granville pressed a button, red light shrouded them, and they vanished.

The three of them reappeared, and were greeted by a green door. Granville opened it.

'In.'

Sarah Jane and Luke entered. A feeling of dizziness overwhelmed them both, and they collapsed.

Eventually, Sarah Jane and Luke awoke in a metallic blue and grey room. They sat in leather armchairs, wearing...oxygen masks.

'You'll both breathe okay, as long as I don't switch the machine off.'

Sarah Jane looked at Granville, who sat on an opposing leather armchair, hand hovering over a panel of buttons. That sounded rather matter-of-fact, like a nurse to a patient. He seemed...relaxed, but she could still see the frustration; the anger in his eyes. Where were they, anyway?

Oh.

Her limbs, she couldn't...she couldn't move them. At all. There didn't seem to be restraints on them, but it certainly felt that way. Luke was probably the same.

'Should I really believe a tart?'

Sarah Jane's eyes darted. How could she-

'It wasn't rhetorical.'

She looked at him. She nodded.

'Because of the notes your son showed me?'

Sarah Jane nodded.

'But you were there before I arrived. Harrison instructed you to set them up - to set me up, yes?'

Sarah Jane shook her head.

Pause.

'Is your favourite colour...blue?'

She looked as his index finger hovered two inches from a button. She shook her head.

'Then don't bloody lie. This "friend" of yours, you said she's gone missing. Subjected to Harrison's wrath?'

Oh God, Sarah Jane didn't know. Had they? Or was Rani like Luke - feared dead, but ultimately without harm.

Sarah Jane nodded.

Silence.

'If she is found, surely you'll give Harrison and Colin a taste of their own medicine?'

She shook her head.

Granville pressed the button.

The air...like someone was...everything was getting...getting...

Better.

Sarah Jane exhaled several times.

'Stop lying.'

Sarah Jane couldn't look at him, instead fixing her gaze on the floor.

'Luke won't, will he? Of course not.'

How she wished she could see him. 'If they've caused you all this suffering, you'll want rid of them, won't you? Or is that what they've told you to say?'

How she wanted to explain to him - so, that he perhaps might understand.

She shook her head.

'LIAR!'

Granville shot up, now stood two inches from her. Sarah Jane would've trembled, if it had been physically possible.

'LIES! LIES! LIES! That's all tarts have ever been capable of telling me!'

And _this_, Sarah Jane thought, was his way of making them tell the truth - of gaining their trust? Paranoid wasn't in it.

Granville let out a huge sigh.

'But not Wormwood,' he continued, the matter-of-face tone resurfacing. 'Not Wormwood.'

Granville stopped. He raised his hand to the back of his head, with an expression of...discomfort.

'She couldn't be lying,' he said, almost monotone. 'No, she has to be - no, she couldn't be.'

It was as if he was talking...to someone else. Someone who had influ...Harrison. God, no wonder he was so paranoid.

'Talk to Luke, he might...no, not Luke. The Archetype. Wormwood's experiment. They want to stop Harrison. They want to find Rani, their beloved friend.'

How Sarah Jane wanted to explain. Make it clear that she wasn't on Harrison and Colin's side. Considering his attitude towards women, why had Wormwood been so special to him?

'Talk to - NO! NO! This tart's a bloody liar!'

Sarah Jane watched as Granville gradually turned at Luke.

'This friend of yours, Rani...does she mean a lot to you? To both of you?'

Luke nodded.

'You were saved...saved by..._her_?' Granville asked, eyeing Sarah Jane.

Luke nodded.

'And it's all the truth, what she said before?'

Luke nodded, in a way that suggested he wanted this over as much as Sarah Jane.

'All right,' Granville said, standing up. 'But you better not be lying to me.'


	4. Chapter 4

'It's the only way. Otherwise, they'll just come back. And none of us want that.'

In his living room, sat in his armchair, Granville looked between Sarah Jane, Luke, and his boots resting across the wooden table between them. Thankfully, no oxygen masks required here, thought Sarah Jane. Granville must have been convinced to some degree, for the three of them to end up in his flat. But only to some degree for her, it seemed, her hand cuffed to the radiator.

'I've met plenty of your type, Granville. Guns don't solve what they already made worse.'

Granville looked at her.

'Do you want them to come back? Either of you?'

'Of course not.'

'No,' replied Luke.

Granville continued to look at Sarah Jane.

'Peace. That's your philosophy, is it? Harmony? Everyone should get a second chance, that bollocks?'

'There are better ways than going in all guns blazing, Granville. Violence should never be the answer.'

Granville glanced between her and Luke.

'You believe that, too?' Granville said, turning to him.

'Yeah. It's what Mum taught me.'

Granville flashed a smirk.

'All right then, Boy Genius. If not guns, what then?'

Sarah Jane sat forward.

'No guns, Granville.'

He looked at her.

'What are you afraid of? That I might blow off the wrong person's head?'

Thanks for that image, Sarah Jane thought.

'It's just asking for trouble.'

Granville folded his arms.

'How many wars; conflicts, have been won using peace? Eh? Perhaps you didn't know...Harrison and Colin, they aren't going to settle for peace.'

Sarah Jane sighed. Granville was right in that last sentence.

'If you attack, their retaliation will likely be ten times worse. A whole planet could suffer just be-'

'Then Wormwood will be avenged,' Granville said, and Sarah Jane noticed a look she hadn't before. His eyes, slightly...manic?

'And I can get off this godforsaken planet.'

Sarah Jane studied him for a moment, one question burning in her mind.

'Why was Wormwood so special to you?'

Silence.

Granville looked away, raising his hand to the back of his head. That look of discomfort resurfaced.

'She hadn't done this for years - yes, she was living a fairly quiet life, while the Doctor did all the saving - but, why?'

He looked at Sarah Jane.

'Why was Wormwood so special to _you_?'

'I asked-

'ANSWER THE QUESTION!'

Sarah Jane opened her mouth to do so, but-

'She saved me, Granville,' said Luke. 'Someone who had been of such importance to Wormwood. Isn't that enough?'

Granville paused, clearly thinking.

'He has a point - he was merely an experiment - he has a point, he _has_ a point!'

Sarah Jane glanced at Luke, before looking back to Granville.

'Why, then?' she asked.

Granville looked between the other two.

'Before the first invasion attempt,' he began. 'She had no interest in such things. Three qualities, though. Leadership. Intelligence. Perseverance. Everything to leave the tarts feeling dumbfounded.'

That couldn't be right. No interest in conquest? That...

'The Bane have always been power-mad, Granville,' said Sarah Jane. 'And I don't imagine Wormwood was any different.'

She paused. Hold on. Colin said she'd been partially brain-dead during the...

'I think..Harrison and Colin put that mindset in her - having no interest in conquest - when they made her partially brain dead. Just to get at you. I'm sorry.'

Granville stood up.

Sarah Jane and Luke looked at him, breath held.

Granville produced a key, unlocked Sarah Jane's cuff, and pulled her to her feet. Before Luke could react, a red light shrouded Granville and Sarah Jane.

Oh no. No,

Once again, that door greeted them. Granville pushed Sarah Jane into the metallic blue and grey room.

'Granville, please-'

Once again, Sarah Jane collapsed.


	5. Chapter 5

'Wake up. _Wake up_!'

Granville's voice faded in. Sarah Jane gradually awoke, feeling the oxygen mask on her face yet again.

'Mum, it's Harrison and Colin. They-

'They know where your friend is,' Granville said flatly.

Was it the truth this time? Oh, Rani.

Even if it was...oh, her parents. She's never see them again. And vice versa.

'It's about...20 minutes up the road,' continued Granville. 'We'll just have to hope there's enough petrol.'

The flatness of his tone unnerved Sarah Jane; his stare made her skin crawl. His...manic stare. Hopefully though, they were one step closer to finding Rani.

'Lovely night for it,' Granville chirped, as his car glided along the road. From the back passenger seats, Sarah Jane and Luke gazed at what could be seen in the dark and rainy exterior.

'And alcohol.'

Sarah Jane sat up.

'What?'

'Relax,' Granville said. 'It's for Harrison and Colin's benefit.'

She turned to Luke.

'That's our alternative,' he said. 'I talked him out of using guns, don't worry.'

'What did the note say?'

Luke passed it to her.

'Look for three doors in a narrow grey building. The easiest rule applies first, the hardest applies last.'

Oh great. A riddle.

'Go on then, Boy Genius. What's it mean?'

Luke glanced at the note.

'I...you know where it is, Granville.'

The car. Was it...swaying? Swaying from side to side?

'So you say,' Granville said, nonchalant.

'Could you stop that, please?'

Granville ignored her, the weaving continuing.

'Granville, please!'

He didn't even look her way.

'Granville! Stop!' Luke cried.

The weaving stopped. The look - the _manic_ look did not, however. Nothing was clear anymore. Harrison. Colin. Dead. Yes. The two in the back - dead? Everyone dead? Who knew? Who cared?

Was this it this time? Was Rani finally here? Were Harrison and Colin telling the truth? Was she alive? Dead? Sarah Jane couldn't bear to...oh, God.

'One more minute,' said Granville. 'Just one.'

The car gradually pulled up outside...a house. Or what could be seen through the pelting rain against the windshield.

'Here we are,' Granville chirped, and climbed out.

Sarah Jane and Luke followed, and they hurried towards the entrance and into the house, drenched all the while. A stony, ancient reception greeted them.

'Now where could the three doors be?' Sarah Jane asked.

'Down there...perhaps,' replied Granville, staring at a long corridor to the right.

They started down the corridor, approaching...three doors.

A note on the middle door. Sarah Jane removed it.

'One chance. Choose carefully.'

Oh, God.

'No rules, then?' Granville said, ever so nonchalant.

Sarah Jane looked between him and the doors.

Oh God, how could they choose? It was impossible. What if Rani wasn't here? If she was, was she alive or dead?

'Eenie-meenie-minie-mo,' Granville trilled, tapping each door. 'Catch a tiger by its toes. If it squeals, let it go. Eenie-meenie-minie...mo.'

The second door.

Sarah Jane looked at Luke. She couldn't...

Granville opened it.

Oh God.

They looked at the pale girl lying across the floor, wearing only her underwear and bra. Bruises were scattered around her arms and legs. Sarah Jane's eyes began to well, as she knelt down.

'Oh, Rani.'

Luke joined her.

Sarah Jane placed her hand on the body and...what?

She gripped an arm and squeezed the...rubbery skin?

'No,' she said, staring. 'No. No, no, no. No.'

'Mum, what is it?'

Tears streamed down her face.

'No-'

THUD!

Granville kicked the face, which tore open to reveal cotton.

Those sick, _sick..._

'Quite the experience to live in fear, isn't it?'

The three of them turned.

Colin stood before them, wearing a huge grin. Sarah Jane looked at Granville. That face...ready to kill, without a second thought.

He lunged. Both men hit the floor.

Colin wheezed, as Granville pushed his arm further and further into his throat. Yes. This was it. Yes. Granville produced a test tube of clear liquid, and chucked it in the other man's face.

Colin screamed, hands covering his face. His limbs jerked, as his face - as he burned. Granville smiled. No ordinary smile, though. Harrison next. Yes. Yes. This was it.

Sarah Jane looked at the dying man. She wasn't even sure she could feel relieved. She looked at Granville. Oh God. Those eyes. Those...eyes. Which met Sarah Jane's. He stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm, taking her back to the car, Luke following behind.

This was it, Granville thought. This. Was. It.


	6. Chapter 6

'The Pharos Institute? Again?'

Sarah Jane held on, for the fear of her and Luke's safety.

'I know,' Luke said. 'Sorry.'

The man in the driver's seat...did Sarah Jane even want to know what he was thinking?

A dummy. A dummy corpse, and they'd fallen right for it. Oh, Rani.

Perhaps Harrison would just appear on the road, Granville thought. Then he could finish her off. Have his revenge. Death galore at the Pharos Institute? So be it. So. Be. It.

The car ground to a halt, moments from the building.

Sarah Jane froze, waiting.

Granville climbed out. She and Luke followed.

They approached the front doors. Sarah Jane turned to the intercom and-

THUD!

Sarah Jane and Luke flinched.

THUD!

The doors swung open.

They entered.

Granville marched to the end of the corridor, Sarah Jane and Luke following.

Professor Rivers' office, once again.

Granville pushed open the door.

As before, Harrison sat behind the desk.

'How...good to see...you all.'

Sarah Jane and Luke kept by the door, eyeing two guards, but Granville continued on, smiling. His eyes...dead.

'Harrison,' he said, like old friends reunited. 'I have something for you.'

Harrison sat back.

'A...conscience...for yourself?'

Sarah Jane and Luke looked at her.

'To...accompany the...ethanol?'

Granville's smile persisted, as he produced a fresh test tube of the stuff.

'Conscience?' he laughed. 'Stupid tart.'

Harrison sat up, putting her hands together.

Granville's smile gradually turned to discomfort, as he raised his hand to the back of his head.

'Do I...have the right?'

'Of course,' replied Harrison. 'You...had the right to...kill Colin. To kill...Cromley.'

'Granville, don't listen to her,' Sarah Jane said. 'Colin didn't have any right to take away Wormwood's life.'

What was Harrison at here? What was she doing to Granville?

'Remember...Granville, you have superb...assassination skills. They'd be of...great benefit...to me.'

Granville lowered the test tube.

'Do I...Do I have the right?'

Sarah Jane noticed the guard next to her, reaching for their...gun? She glanced between the guard and Granville.

'Do I?'

Harrison leaned back.

'Of course.'

'Granville!'

He turned, spying the gun - lashed around, and chucked the ethanol in Harrison's face. She jolted back, hands to her mouth.

BANG!

'No!'

Granville jarred.

BANG! BANG!

Granville hit the floor.

Harrison was slouched in her chair, looking at Sarah Jane and smiling, her skin peeling from her face. Sarah Jane looked at the...mess, before herself and Luke. Her tears...she couldn't fight them any longer.

Oh God, Rani. Where was she? Where?

'They've won.'

Sarah Jane looked at Harrison.

'What? Who are _they_?'

Harrison just smiled, her skin almost entirely gone.

They? Who were _they_?

**The End**


End file.
